New Road Tech on Display at Sea Otter

April 24, 2012

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Mountain bikes typically dominate Sea Otter, but there were still a few drool-worthy road products on display. Several companies used the festival to show new systems for road-bike disc brakes. —Andrew J. Bernstein

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Colnago adapted its WorldTour-level racer to accept hydraulic disc brakes from Formula. To counteract brake forces, the company reinforced the fork and chainstays. This is among the first road bikes we&rsquo;ve seen to come with hydraulic disc brakes as original equipment, and the first high-caliber race bike. <br />
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<iframe width="420" scrolling="no" height="376" frameborder="0" src="http://video.bicycling.com/video/Colnago-C59-Disc-Road-Bike/player?layou...

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The Focus Cayo Evo2 is positioned to be a step down from the company&rsquo;s high-end Izalco platform. The <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/new-bike-gear-previews/shimano-ulteg... Di2</a>-equipped model sells for $4,300. Although the frame is slightly heavier than Izalco Team, it boasts the same impressive ride qualities, and high-end features like internal routing for the electronic wires (the frame is not compatible with mechanical systems) and brake cables.

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Sea Otter was the first opportunity for many cyclists to check out <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/new-bike-gear-previews/first-ride-20... new Red group</a>, and the company was on hand with a large demo fleet. As on the previous version of the group, the cassette&rsquo;s largest eight cogs are machined from a single piece of high-grade steel. To make the new version quieter, SRAM places an elastomer ring between each cog. The chain contacts the elastomer before the cog, making shifts very quiet.

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Front shifting on the original Red group was notoriously slow and imprecise. The company addressed the problem with the new group by designing stiffer (and heavier) chain rings. To compensate for the rings’ additional heft, the company found ways to trim weight from the crank arms, without making them less stiff. This cutout shows how thin the crank arm walls really are.

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The other key to addressing the group&rsquo;s front shifting was to replace the original titanium front derailleur cage with a stiffer steel cage. The new gear changer also incorporates a chain catcher, which prevents the chain from falling off to the inside. This addition prevents damage to the bottom bracket shell on carbon frames, which sometimes results from dropped chains.

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Road disc specialists Volagi followed up the 2011 release of their <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderproductdetail?gfid=57496">Liscio carbon road disc bike</a> with two new steel frames, shown for the first time at Sea Otter. Both models are called the Viaje, a Spanish word for &ldquo;journey.&rdquo; The less expensive frame is made from Reynolds 520 steel. It sells for $1,900 and comes equipped with an aluminum-steerer carbon fork, Volagi wheels, and Avid cable-actuated disc brakes. The pricier model costs $3,200 and is made from Reynolds 853 steel and uses a full carbon fork. It comes equipped with Volagi wheels, an FSA crank, and TRP hydraulic disc brakes powered by an under-stem reservoir. <br />
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Both steel bikes share the Liscio&rsquo;s performance-oriented geometry and road-damping characteristics&mdash;courtesy of a Longbow Flex design that uncouples the seat tube from the top tube to isolate road vibrations. The steel frames have a headtube that&rsquo;s 15mm taller than that on the carbon bike, making for a more-upright position. The steel frames can accommodate tires as wide as 42mm, making them perfect for a range of uses, from road riding to cyclocross racing to adventure rides that leave the pavement behind.

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<a href="http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderproductlist?gfpagetype=mfg&amp;gfid=9... launched its second mobile fit van. This one is based in Colorado, but will appear at as many as 30 events throughout the Rocky Mountain states, the South, and the Midwest (Sidi&rsquo;s original fit van travels the West Coast). At events, Sidi staff fit cyclists to shoes, and offer a discount for anyone who orders a pair through a shop. The van carries Sidi&rsquo;s Dominator mountain bike shoe in every size and width&mdash;more than 70 pairs total. Because all Sidis share a common fit, the brand chose the Dominator as a stand-in for its other models, giving riders the chance to determine the right size whether they ride road or trails.

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The latest fruits to come from ENVE&rsquo;s collaboration with aerodynamicist Simon Smart are the new 3.4 and 6.7 carbon clincher wheels, both available now. After conducting hundreds of bike fittings, Smart realized that wheelsets with different rim depths could make bikes easier to handle without sacrificing aerodynamics. He worked with ENVE to put his theory into practice. The 3.4 wheelset uses a 35mm front rim and 45mm rear rim. The 6.7 is 60mm deep in the front, and 70mm in the rear. The 8.9 tubular wheelset, 85mm deep in the front and 95mm in the rear, is due out soon with a clincher version to follow. Each rim is available pre-built with Chris King or DT Swiss hubs. The rims are also available on their own. The five-year-old company added that all of its products are now covered by a five-year warranty.

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Looking toward the Tour de France, British clothier Rapha unveiled its new collection of Tour de France T-shirts. One shirt commemorates each of the Tour’s five-time (or more) winners: Anquetil, Merckx, Hinault, Indurain, and Armstrong. 1962 was the year the Tour de France returned to trade teams from national teams, and it also marked the era of the five-time winner. Since then, a rider who has won at least five tours has won on every year ending in a “2”—1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, and 2002. Will a new rider join this elite group in 2012? The T-shirts are available on their own for $60, or as a set with a musette for $240.

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Earlier this year, in conjunction with <a href="http://www.bicycling.com/gearfinderproductlist?gfpagetype=mfg&amp;gfid=9..., Magura released two hydraulic rim-brake systems, the RT6 TT ($299) and RT8 TT($399), for time-trial bikes. The systems are nearly identical, but the pricier model uses a carbon brake lever and weight-saving aluminum hardware. A brief test showed that the calipers are more powerful than average road rim brakes. The system&rsquo;s greatest benefit, though, is that it eliminates cable drag, which can degrade brake performance. Sticky cables are a matter of special concern on time-trial bikes, which often require cables to make tight, drag-inducing bends. Both brakes are available though Cerv&eacute;lo dealers now, and will hit more shops later this year. The RT6 and RT8 could be seen as original equipment on 2013 bikes.

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A release lever under the brake lever opens the caliper arms, letting you remove wheels from your bike. Bleed ports on both the lever and calipers make setting up and maintaining the brakes easy. The set uses non-toxic mineral oil instead of corrosive DOT fluid.

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For riders who want to use the RT8 and RT6 calipers on road bikes with dual-control levers instead of Magura’s dedicated bar-end style levers, the company built a reservoir that mounts on a bracket under the stem. It’s actuated by cables from the lever and works flawlessly. On TT bikes, overall weight for the hydraulic system is lighter than standard calipers with housing and cables, but the reservoir does add a little weight to a road bike.

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Praxis Works makes forged aluminum chain rings that work with SRAM and Shimano drivetrains, and for both standard and compact cranks. At $170 for a set of standard rings, the brand is an affordable alternative to rings from Shimano or SRAM. Praxis says that understanding, and carefully managing, the relationship between the chain and chain ring is the key to good front shifting. With that understanding, the company carefully shapes each tooth, as well as the back of the chainring, to help the chain move between the rings. To improve their rings’ appearance on the current generation of Dura-Ace cranks, which come originally equipped with a boldly-shaped hollow ring, Praxis created bolt caps that smooth the transition from the crank’s spider to the ring.